Real Madrid News
Kroos, Modric’s renewals will not change Real Madrid’s plans for Bellingham – Romano
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid’s plans for Jude Bellingham will not be changed by the contract renewals of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos
Both Modric and Kroos are on contracts that expire on June 30. However, their extensions are firmly on track, with the former understood to have a full agreement over a new deal while the latter is believed to have already signed his new contract.
Given that the veteran duo are set to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu for at least one more season, the Real Madrid midfield department could become quite crowded as they plan to rope in Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.
The 19-year-old is already understood to have agreed personal terms with the Spanish and European champions and the two clubs will meet later this month to finalise the transfer.
And Romano has clarified that the contract extensions of Kroos and Modric will not change anything with regard to Real Madrid’s plans for Bellingham.
Los Blancos consider the England international as a crucial target for the team for the present and the future. And they will press ahead to try and agree a transfer fee with Dortmund to try and close the deal at the earliest possible.
Real Madrid already have a host of top midfielders in Modric, Kroos, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni, and with Bellingham’s potential arrival, the quality will only be boosted.
If Dani Ceballos also renews his contract, manager Carlo Ancelotti will have his hands full and it will certainly be interesting to see how he juggles his midfield options next season.
What seems clear is that Bellingham is on the way to join Real Madrid and will have the opportunity to learn from legends like Kroos and Modric, which should help him settle in at the club and ease the transition at the club.
The cloud of uncertainty over Karim Benzema’s future has served as a major headache for the Real Madrid board, as they kickstart their team planning ahead of the new season.
Recent reports claim the Frenchman is strongly considering a move to Saudi Arabia, after receiving a lucrative €150 million offer from Al Ittihad. He was close to renewing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu not too long ago, but it appears the tables have turned lately.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid are yet to give up on Benzema and still harbour hopes of renewing his contract in the coming weeks, reports Alfredo Matilla.
The Spanish journalist suggests Real Madrid have not closed the file on Benzema. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has recently met the forward to clarify his future and it appears the club are set to do everything they can to keep hold of the player.
Benzema’s departure, after all, could put the club in a major dilemma, where they must either sign a top-class striker or settle for a low-cost alternative for the entirety of next season.
Harry Kane has been earmarked as the ideal replacement for Benzema. But his acquisition could potentially jeopardise Real Madrid’s bid to sign either Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe in 2024. The club have also faced difficulties negotiating with Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman.
As far as the low-cost options are concerned, Real Madrid are interested in Roberto Firmino, who will become a free agent in the summer.
However, the Brazilian international is not the most productive striker around and his struggles in front of goal could put more pressure on players like Vinicius Junior next season.
Real Madrid, therefore, will hope to keep hold of Benzema’s services for another year. Unfortunately, though, the player has given a cold response so far and left training early, without speaking too much.
So it will be interesting to see whether or not the veteran striker opts to remain at Bernabeu for another year.
